“People give them no PAC money, no special interest money,” he told The Associated Press. "To me, that’s the most important thing."

Ventura said he admires both Sanders and Trump for campaigning outside of the Democratic and Republican political establishments. The former professional wrestler added that their bids resemble his own underdog gubernatorial campaign as a Reform Party candidate in 1998.

Ventura, who is still weighing his own White House run as an independent, also told AP he would not make a formal endorsement because he does not belong to either candidate’s party.